Schools by area › Kent › The Lenham School
The Lenham School
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–18 · Sponsored academy
Ham Lane, Lenham, Maidstone ME17 2LL · thelenham.viat.org.uk · 01622 858267
On the mapSearch near ME17 2LL
Overview
- Ofsted
- Good
- 2019 framework · inspected Nov 2019
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 37
- average Attainment 8 score. Kent 46.7, England 46
- Demand for places
- 0.9
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 820
- 81% of 1,012 places
- Local authority
- Kent
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 30.6%
- First language not English
- 3.8%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, 149 families put the school first and 158 places were offered; 89% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 158 | 149 | 0.9 | 89% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 156 | 164 | 1.1▲ | 85% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 158 | 156 | 1 | 83% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 153 | 148 | 1 | 80% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 154 | 125 | 0.8 | 81% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 37, and 15.8% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Kent it was 46.7, and across England 46.
In 2023/24 the average A level result was grade C (28.8 points per entry).
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▼37 | 46 | ||
| ▼15.8% | 45.4% | ||
| ▼43.2% | 64.8% | ||
| ▼26.7% | 40.5% | ||
| ▼3.11 | 4.09 |
Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 118793)
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 40 | +12.9 |
| Further education | 37.9 | −9 |
| Apprenticeship | 2.1 | −2.1 |
| Employment | 4.8 | −3.5 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 7.6 | −1.8 |
| Activity not captured | 7.6 | +5.5 |
A levels and other 16 to 18 results
Applied general average grade
| 2024/25 | Trend | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 students | Merit- (23) | Average -0.21 |
| Earlier years: Applied general | Students | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 19 | Merit+ (27.5) | -0.42 |
| 2022/23 | 11 | Pass+ (19.4) | — |
| 2021/22 | 11 | Dist (33.5) | — |
| 2018/19 | 14 | Pass+ (16.8) | -0.60 |
| 2017/18 | 4 | — | +0.63 |
| 2016/17 | 31 | — | -0.03 |
| 2015/16 | 13 | — | +1.03 |
Where sixth-form leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| University | 40.9 | +13.1 |
| Apprenticeship | 4.5 | −6.6 |
| Employment | 31.8 | −12.6 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 9.1 | −2 |
| Activity not captured | 13.6 | +8 |
Ofsted
The Lenham School was judged Good at its last graded inspection, on 5 November 2019, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework. An ungraded inspection in Feb 2025 found: Standards maintained.
- Outcome
- Standards maintained
- Inspected
- 4 Feb 2025
- Ungraded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Previously: Good, graded inspection, Nov 2019
Earlier inspections
Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 118793), which Ofsted links to this one.
September 2019 to November 2025
Nov 2019Good
Quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Sixth form Good Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Dec 2015Inadequate
Leadership and management Inadequate Safeguarding Effective Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 118793)
What parents said
83% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (178 replies, to 1 September 2025).
- Recommend
- 83%
- Replies
- 178
- 22% · 1 Sept 2025
based on the 85% who raised concerns
based on the 49% who had a child bullied
based on 59 parents (33%) with SEND